Senior Art Director

About HALO Branded Solutions

HALO Branded Solutions is a leading company linking people and brands to craft memorable and impactful experiences that enhance brand loyalty for over 60,000 clients globally, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. Our team consists of nearly 2,000 employees and 1,000 Account Executives across over 40 U.S. offices, making HALO the number one player in the $25 billion branded merchandise industry.

Role Overview

The Senior Art Director will spearhead and enhance the visual standards of creative projects spanning multiple brands, accounts, and channels. This individual will convert strategic guidelines into clear visual systems and powerful creative outputs that align with brand identity, deliver commercial impact, and are scalable. Reporting to the Creative Group Design Director, this hands-on leadership position involves concept development, design execution, direction, and presentation. Collaboration with cross-functional teams is key to producing brand-led creative suitable for merchandising, retail, digital, and e-commerce environments. Candidates must provide a portfolio and resume upon application.

Key Responsibilities

• Guide visual strategy for studio projects, defining look, feel, and creative approaches grounded in brand strategy, audience insights, and business goals.
• Transform creative briefs into unified visual platforms encompassing typography, color, imagery, motion cues, layout, and design mechanics.
• Lead practical design tasks including crafting lead assets, visual frameworks, and templates that serve as standards for team execution.
• Provide art direction and mentorship to designers, illustrators, photographers, retouchers, motion collaborators, and production teams, assuring high-quality output.
• Offer clear, actionable creative critiques to elevate work quality and uniformity across teams.
• Develop and sustain brand identity systems, design standards, asset libraries, and foundational tools supporting broad, scalable implementation.
• Collaborate closely with Creative Director and senior creative leaders to shape innovative solutions, partake in strategic conversations, and uphold superior craftsmanship standards.
• Design for merchandising and retail storytelling across multiple touchpoints such as packaging, hangtags, shelves, windows, product detail pages, banners, and emails.
• Create digital and e-commerce creative assets that express the brand and drive conversions, including product detail pages, category pages, landing pages, email campaigns, paid social content, and lifecycle marketing material.
• Confidently present work to clients and internal stakeholders, articulating design rationale linked to brand and business aims.
• Maintain impeccable craft standards ensuring all deliverables are intentional, polished, and consistent with brand experience across channels.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, adapting to diverse brand voices and creative conditions.

Required Qualifications

• At least 8 years of experience in agency, corporate, or studio settings with a trajectory from design to art direction roles.
• Proven background in producing creative work for merchandising and product-driven brands, including collection launches, seasonal campaigns, retail programs, and packaging systems.
• Strong expertise in e-commerce design covering product detail pages, category pages, landing pages, email marketing, paid social ads, and lifecycle campaigns.
• A portfolio demonstrating a distinctive perspective and coverage over brand systems, campaigns, packaging, e-commerce, editorial, and environmental design.
• Advanced command of Figma and Adobe Creative Suite products such as Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.
• Familiarity with motion graphics tools (After Effects experience is advantageous) and related workflows.
• Knowledge of e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or similar, with insight into translating design to storefront execution.
• Strong skills in typography, composition, and visual storytelling.
• Ability to blend strategic thinking with top-tier craft and meticulous execution.
• Excellent communication and presentation capabilities to effectively justify creative decisions.
• Collaborative mindset to work efficiently across client and internal brand initiatives.

Preferred Attributes

• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish.
• Experience navigating both premium and mass-market e-commerce contexts.
• Expertise in developing scalable design systems and brand guidelines for long-term marketing use.

Compensation and Benefits

The role offers a base salary ranging approximately from $90,000 to $120,000 annually, influenced by multiple factors such as role responsibilities, candidate experience, location, and skills. HALO provides a comprehensive benefits package including nationwide medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage; voluntary benefits; retirement saving plans like 401(k); health savings accounts; and flexible spending accounts to support your well-being and financial future.

Application Details

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and reviewed as needs arise; postings will be removed once the role is filled. Submitting a portfolio and resume is mandatory. Interested candidates will receive confirmation upon successful application submission.

Work Environment and Culture

• Opportunities for growth and internal promotion sustained by a culture of learning from seasoned leadership and global networking.
• An inclusive, innovative, and supportive workplace that values diversity, respects individuals, and encourages high standards and accountability.
• Recognition programs that celebrate achievements and provide rewards like gift cards, trips, and merchandise.
• Flexible schedules and hybrid work options promoting work-life balance and flexibility.

Equal Opportunity and Accommodation

HALO is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of protected characteristics and provides reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the hiring process. The company participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility.